3 reasons why the Chicago White Sox should trade Dylan Cease
Should the White Sox trade Cease?
After a horrible 2023 season going 61-101, The Chicago White Sox's new general manager Chris Getz is working on reshaping the roster, intending to compete in 2025. Although Getz doesn't have much to work with, starting pitcher Dylan Cease is one of the most valuable pieces on this roster, and it's assumed by many that he will be traded.
Cease, 28, is arguably one of the hottest names on the trade market. He is under team control for two more years and is owed under $20M in that span. The 2022 Cy Young runner-up currently commands plenty of interest across Major League Baseball and should bring in a nice return if he is traded. Although he is coming off a down year in 2023, Cease's past success and high durability make him an attractive option to opposing clubs.
A trade seems very possible, and I believe the time to move him is now. Here are three reasons why the White Sox should trade Dylan Cease.
The market is unbelievably thin
The current starting pitching market is thin. And I mean paper thin. The two best arms that remain in free agency are left-handed pitchers Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery. Snell is coming off his second career Cy Young award and Montgomery was an integral part of securing a victory for the Texas Rangers in the 2023 World Series. Both pitchers command massive contracts that most clubs don't have much interest in signing.
Besides the other two big-name free agents, there are no arms left on the market that match Cease's caliber. In a pitcher-needy offseason, there are a handful of teams that are desperate for another solid arm in the rotation. This is why Dylan Cease is currently so valuable. Acquiring Cease would immediately boost any club's rotation for a good cost, therefore the interest should remain high.
Teams like the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees have been mentioned as possible suitors. Both clubs have great pieces in their minor league systems that could be a possible fit for both sides. There is a chance that Dylan Cease's value never gets higher than it is currently, and the White Sox should take advantage of it and act now.
The White Sox need more offensive power
Last year, the White Sox ranked bottom five in runs, RBIs, on-base percentage, and batting average. Chris Getz knows they won't be competing in 2024. There are too many holes on the roster that haven't been filled yet. Right field has been an ongoing mystery for years now, and there is no clear answer at second base. Filling some of these holes in a Cease trade would set the team up for future success.
A Dylan Cease trade would immensely help this offense. There are tons of young, major league-ready prospects that the Sox could acquire via a Dylan Cease trade that could answer questions like second base and right field. Trading Cease now would help shape the roster for when the Sox intend to compete in 2025.
Outfielders such as Heston Kjerstad or Colton Cowser from the Baltimore Orioles and Spencer Jones or Jasson Dominguez from the New York Yankees have been linked as potential targets in a Dylan Cease trade. Both Baltimore and New York have been hesitant to pull the trigger on a deal, as the asking price for Cease has remained high. All four outfielders would be tremendous adds and would give star outfielder Luis Robert Jr. his running mate for the foreseeable future.
Is Cease part of the long-term plan?
Let's face it. Once Dylan Cease becomes a free agent in 2026, there is a very small chance he will be re-signing with the Chicago White Sox. The Sox have never given out a contract bigger than $100M, making it unlikely that he will be brought back by this organization when it is time to pay him.
Like I said before, Getz knows the team won't be competing in 2024. By that point, there will only be one year remaining on Cease's contract, so it makes sense to move on from him now before his value inevitably decreases. Cease is a client of agent Scott Boras, who is known for taking clients into free agency rather than signing extensions. It is more than unlikely that Cease returns once he is a free agent due to the White Sox's history of spending money on free agents.
So why delay this whole process? If Cease is going to command too much money when he is a free agent, what is the point of holding on to him? Chris Getz has a real opportunity to flip Cease for multiple pieces that could be a part of the White Sox's quick turnaround. If the offer is there, Getz should make it happen before it's too late.